Justice Isn't Pretty Sometimes
by Meg0613
Summary: A follow up story fro 18.2 "Making a Rapist". Established Barson, takes place after my story Know My Heart but can be read alone. (But I would love for you to read Know My Heart)


Justice Isn't Pretty Sometimes

This is a follow up to the 18.2 "Making a Rapist". It is set loosely after my story Know My Heart but can be read alone (But I would love for you to read Know My Heart if you haven't already). Established Barson

"Justice isn't pretty sometimes." Rafael said as he joined her on the steps of the courthouse and they watched Fin walk away.

"Yeah, well it was damn ugly this time." She said and he couldn't tell by her voice if she was upset with him or just upset with how the trial had gone. As she started to walk down the steps slightly ahead of him he reached for her hand linking their fingers together. Olivia turned back surprised at the gesture. For a couple that was highly affectionate outside of work they worked very hard to keep that out of their work.

"Are we all right?" He asked her his eyes revealing how hard this case had been on him. Olivia smiled when she felt him playing with her engagement ring the same way he did when they were lying in bed together at night.

She smiled at him and ran her hand through his short hair that had begun to grey recently, "We are fine, I understand why you did what you did."

He pulled her closer to him and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Can we go to cottage this weekend? I want to get away and just be the three of us."

Olivia smiled at the mention of their little cottage on the shore that Rafael had bought them so that they would have a place to go at times like this, and nodded. "That sounds perfect," she told him before returning his kiss.

BarsonBarsonBarsonBarson

They let their offices know they wouldn't be coming back for the afternoon, threw a few things together and picked Noah up from preschool. They were pulling into the small seaside town that was their second home shortly before dinner.

"Can we go to Milo's for dinner?" Noah asked. Milo's was the family run Italian restaurant in the middle of town.

"Sounds good to me," Rafael said, "let's go drop our stuff off and then walk" Olivia looked over at him and could see the stress of the trial slowly beginning to fade.

She placed her hand on his leg, "I'm glad we did this."

Rafael picked up her hand and kissed it just below her ring, "Me too"

They dropped off their bags and opened the windows of the cottage to air it out a little since it had been a few weeks since they had been there. Olivia was putting away the groceries they had brought with them when she felt Rafael's arms wrap around her waist. She turned to him wrapping her arms around his neck and met his lips. She quickly parted her lips welcoming the deeper kiss that he was offering her. The kiss quickly reminded them both that it had been a long couple of weeks and they hadn't had much time for each other. If it hadn't been for the footsteps coming down the hall they might not have made it out of the kitchen.

"Later" Rafael whispered in her ear.

"Definitely." She said back before placing one last kiss on his lips.

"Mamma, Rafi I'm hungry." Noah said coming into the kitchen.

"Me too, Amigo," Rafael said scooping the boy up, "Let's go see if Milo has meatballs tonight." Rafael took his Olivia's hand in his free one and they walked the short walk into town, stopping along the way to talk to friends they had made.

"Noah! I must have known you were coming tonight, I made extra meatballs." Milo said hugging the boy as they walked into the restaurant. "Olivia, Rafael, how are you? It's been too long." He said hugging them both. "How is the city? Have you set a date yet?"

Oliva smiled she loved that here they were just Olivia and Rafael not Lieutenant Benson and ADA Barba. Sure, everyone knew what they did but nobody ever asked about cases.

"I'm still working on her Milo, I want as soon as possible she wants June." Rafael told him. Milo showed them to a table and left Noah a large basket of rolls while he went to get the wine. He didn't even have to ask he knew what they wanted.

After dinner they walked home enjoying the quiet of the town that was empty of its summer visitors and the constant noise of the city.

"You know I am sure this city needs a lawyer and maybe a sheriff. " Rafael joked as they walked home.

Olivia laughed, "We would all go crazy. Let's face it we love our cottage life but we are city people." She told him leaning into him.

"I guess." He sighed as they walked up the stairs to the cottage.

Oliva kissed him and took Noah from him, "I'll get Little Man to bed, go relax."

Rafael leaned over and kissed Noah, "I love you Amigo, sleep well."

"Love you Rafi." Noah said his voice already sleepy.

Rafael sat down on the front porch swing and listened to the waves crashing into the shore. Even though he was feeling more relaxed he still couldn't completely shake the thoughts from the trial that were on his mind. He had played on a grieving mother's feelings of guilt in order to get a conviction. There might have been a day when that didn't bother him but that day was long past, Olivia had changed that.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there when he heard Olivia, "What's going on in that brilliant mind of yours?" She asked sitting next to him on the swing.

"Thinking about my cross of Melanie." He said as he pulled her closer.

"Raf, you did what you had too. It was your job to get justice for Ashley and to make sure Sean went to prison."

Rafael sighed, "There was a day when you would have told me I was wrong and not to do it. That we had to find a different way"

"And I would have been wrong." She admitted and pushed him when he raised an eye brow at her.

"There was a time when what I did today wouldn't have bothered me at all." He confessed

"And you would have been wrong." She teased. "Empathy is hard Raf, especially with what we do."

"All I could think about was she was a mother just like you. I could imagine what you would feel if something had happened to Noah and I felt like I was playing on it. It felt dirty Liv like I was using something as sacred as our family to get a conviction." He told her and Olivia could see the tears forming in his eyes.

"Rafael Barba, if God forbid something ever happened to Noah I would want the DA to be more concerned about getting justice for him then how I felt about the process. You let your love for me and our son motivate you to get justice. I think sometimes you forget what a good man you are."

"I think I'm a much better man since you came into my life. My life was easier before I cared so much but its better now." He told her. "Liv, I just need to know you will always tell me if you think I'm crossing a line."

"Don't worry Counselor, your magic spell over me isn't so strong that I can't see your flaws." She laughed.

"Wait, who said anything about flaws? I have no flaws." He joked.

"Oh yes, you do the first one would be talking too much," She said leaning in so that her lips were almost on his, "I know of other things that those lips of yours are good for." She pulled back just as his lips almost reached hers and smiled when he groaned. She stood in front of him and held out her hand.

"Take me to bed, use those lips properly, and I could probably agree to whatever wedding date you want." She said with a smile and then laughed as Rafael jumped up and pulled her towards their bedroom.

The End


End file.
